Event Summary

On May 7, 2025, the International Courses Department of the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) and the Taiwanese Association of Hispanists (ATH) co-organized the virtual conference "Promoting Spanish Culture and Education in Taiwan: The Way of Saint James." Moderated by Professors Luisa Chang and Sophia Yang, the event featured Spanish experts analyzing how the Camino de Santiago has shaped common European values and exploring how to integrate this "outdoor classroom" into Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE) instruction.

Presentation Highlights

1. Thinking Europe, Making the Way: European Identity Values in the Camino de Santiago

Speaker: Prof. Dr. Juan Manuel Monterroso (Professor of Art History, USC) Highlights:

• Transcending Time and Space: Explored how the pilgrimage has evolved beyond religious motives to develop a unique cultural identity alongside social changes.
• Politics and Definition: Analyzed how political factors influenced the modern delimitation of the route and its inseparable link with European identity.
• Historical Key: Invited the audience to use history as a key to understanding the present and defining the future of Europe.

2. The Camino de Santiago: Routes, Hospitality, and Culture

Speaker: Dr. Pilar Taboada-de-Zúñiga Romero (Managing Director of International Courses, USC) Highlights:

• Bridge for Cultural Exchange: Introduced the Camino as a crucial conduit for the exchange of ideas, customs, and artistic techniques since the Middle Ages.
• Spirit of Hospitality: Discussed hospitality as a core value, evolving from ancient "pilgrim hospitals" to modern "albergues."
• Outdoor Classroom (ELE): Shared how to transform the history, art, and culture of the Camino into situational materials for ELE teaching, achieving meaningful contextualized learning.

Event Information

• Time: Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 20:00 - 21:30 (Taiwan Time)
• Location: Online (Virtual)
• Moderators: Prof. Luisa Shu-Ying Chang (Vice President, TMU), Prof. Sophia Chung-Ying Yang (Chair, Department of European Languages, NCCU)
• Special Guest: Mr. Eduardo Euba Aldape (Director of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan)